Method and apparatus for repairing a fluid pressure line



All@ 18, 1959 v. L. FARRls 2,899,983

METHOD AND APPARATUS RoR REPAIRING A FLUID PRESSURE LINE Filed March 24, 1958 s sheets-sheet 1 Y W maman R LU il '1l Aug. 18, 1959 v. L. FARRls 2,899,983

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR iPlEPAIRK-`A FLUID PRESSURE lLINE v Filed March 24. 1958 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Vern/e l.. FQ/'rf/J INVENTOR.

BY #4% VM ATTO/Q/VEVJ V. L. FARRIS Aug. 18, 1959 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REPAIRING A FLUID PRESSURE LINE Filed March 24. 1958 "3 Sheets-Sheet 5 BY V Arme/vf VJ 1 the Yconduit and valve to effect METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR REPAIRING A FLUID PRESSURE LINE Vernie L. Farris, Houston, Tex.

Application March 24, 1958, Serial No. 723,585

3 Claims. (Cl. 138-97) The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for repairing uid conducting lines under pressure.

Various methods and apparatus have been proposed in an endeavor to repair fluid conducting lines under pressure to avoid the necessity of shutting ott flow through the conduit while repairs are -being made. At the present time, no satisfactory solution exists whereby any conduit, regardless of its size, or regardless of what may be owing through the conduit may be repaired without seriously interrupting the ow of uid through the line.

The present invention provides a method and apparatus whereby Huid ow lines may be quickly and easily repaired without unduly interrupting the flow through the lines.

Yet a further object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for repairing liuid ow lines, wherein the fluid flow line may be repaired without first cutting oit flow through the line at some 'remote location.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a method and apparatus for repairing a iluid line under of the present invention connected over a fluid pressure line for repairs of the line;

Fig. 2 is a partial sectional, partial elevational top view` on the line 2--2 of Fig. l showing the construction of the body shown in Fig. l and in more detail, its relationship to a fluid line about which it is positioned;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view, partly in elevation,

' showing the body of Figs. 1 and 2 in end view positioned about a fluid line on which repairs are to be made, and

also showing a conduit and valve means connected latorally with the body to aid in effecting repairs on the line enclosed by the body with a cutting tool inserted through a cut on the iluid pressure line;

Fig. 4 is a view somewhat similar to Fig. 3 but Vshowing `Vonly the lower portion of Fig. 3 and illustrating the cuttingV tool of Fig. 3 as having moved to a position in Vthe body to sever the fluid line that is to be repaired;

Fig. 5 is a vertical sectional .view somewhat similar to Fig. 3, partly in elevation, showing the valve means of Fig. 3 closed and a seal means inserted within the vconduit for temporarily closing off flow at the severed portion in the uid ow line;

l Fig. 6 illustrates the next position of the apparatus with the seal or plug means of Fig. 5 in position between 1 the severed uid conducting conduit portion;

Fig. 6A is a side view on the line 6A-6A of Fig. 6

u as having been Withdrawn above the valve in'the conduit,k

ice

and an additional plug means as having been inserted longitudinally of the fluid conducting line and seated upstream of the severed portion so as to temporarily close oft" ow through the line;

Fig.` 8 is a sectional view, partly in elevation, illustrating the plug of Fig. 7 in position in the line on the upstream side of the severed portion, and with the body and other components of the present invention removed therefrom and with the end of the severed pipe portion threaded to receive a connection thereon;

Fig. 9 illustrates the next step and shows the severed pipe portion of Fig. 8 in partial section with a valve in elevation as having been secured on the threadedend; and

Fig. l0 is an elevation of the valve of Fig. 9 showing the severed and subsequently repaired pipe portion on the left of the valve which is represented in dottedline as being closed and a new line is illustrated to the rightl of the Valve as having been connected into the other side of the valve and connected to the remainder of the old uid flow line whereby flow may continue through the repaired conduit.

Attention is directed to Figs. l and'2 ofthe drawings wherein a body 3 is shown as including the mating upper half portion 4 and a lower half portion 5, which portions are adapted to be secured about the conduit 6, which conduit is to be repaired because of a leak or break therein. The half portions include longitudinal recesses which form the passage 17 surrounding the conduit 6. The upper portion 4 and the lower half portion 5' may be secured about the conduit'in abutting relationship to each other and held in such position by means of the bolts 7 which extend through the half portions v4 and 5 and are retained in position by means of the nuts 8 which are adapted to threadedly engage the bolts 7. l

Reference is made to Fig. 2 wherein a crack or leak in the conduits 6 is represented by the numeral 10. It will be noted that the body 3 is positioned so that it covers the leak 10 in the uid conducting member 6, the body 3 being positioned so that the leak 10 is between the ends 11 and 12 of the body 3. In order to inhibit the leakage of fluid from the conduit 6 through the crack 10 and out the body, suitable annular seals as illustrated at 14 and 1 5 are provided at each end of the body 3 for sealably fitting about the periphery 15 of the pipe and the periphery 16 of the passage 17 formed by the mating longitudinal recesses in the two mating half portions 4 and 5 of the body 3, as previously described. It will be noted that the periphery 16 of the passage 17 is tapered at each end of the body 3 so that as lthe packing 14 is urged into the body 3, a tight sealing lfit will be formed by the packing 14 with the conduit 6 and the body 3.

To aid in positioning the packing 14 in the body memy ber 3 initially, and to maintain it in position in the body to more clearly illustrate the position and relationship l 3, suitable clamp means as illustrated generally by the numeral 18 are provided. The clamp means 18 not only provide a means for positioning the packing 14 in the body 3, but also provide a means for maintaining the packing and the body in position on the conduit 6 as the method and apparatus ofA the present invention are used to repair the crack 10 in the conduit 6. The securing means 18 is in the form of clamps 19 and 20, positioned adjacent each end 11 and 12 of the body 3 respectively, with each of the clamps 19 and 20 including mat` ing half portions 19', 19, and 20', 20", respectively.

In order to retain the two half portions 19 and 19", as well as the half portions 20 and 20'. in position on the conduit 6, suitable means such as the boltsZlare provided which extend through the laterally extending portions 22 of the half portions 19', 19" and 20', 20, respectively. Nuts 23 may be threadedly secured on the bolts in order to retain the half portions 19' and 19" secured together, and ,for maintaining the half portions 20'.v and 20l secured together. In order toymaintain the seals 14 and the body 3 in proper position relative to each other and relative to the crack 10 in the conduit 6, suitable connectors or elongated boltseas illustrated at 24 either by manual or power operation and it will be noted that the bit 37 is of larger diameter than the diameter of the conduit 6 so that as it cuts through the pipe, it completely cuts the pipe or conduit 6 into two separate por- Lareproyided, which extend between the clamps 19 and 5 tions.

20; which connectors are illustrated asjbeing in the This is illustrated more clearly in Fig. 4 wherein the form of rods that extend longitudinally and on each side cutting tool 37 is represented as being in its iinal posi- .oitheb'ody 3 in spaced relation thereto, and in spaced tion after it has completely severed the'pipe V6 in two. relation relative to the conduit 6. The connectors 24 Thereafter, the cutting tool, includingthe'bit 37 and brace may be suitably threaded `as yillustrated at 25 atone end 10 36 can be vretracted above the valve 34 and the plug or ,vs o that anut `26 may be engaged therewith, whereby the gate 40 of the valve moved t`o sealing position so as to clamps 19 and 20 rnay be urged toward each other longiinhibit the leakage vof fluid from the body 3. After the tudinlly along t h e .conduit 6, by tightening the nut 26, gate 40 has been moved to Vclosed position in the valve 34, whereupon the packing 1 4and 15 at each en d ofthe body the lower packing gland 33 vmay be removed and the bit 3 is forced .inwar dly along the vpassage 17 to form a 15 37 taken 01T the brace 36 so that the packing glands 33 Ttight iitjbetween the Yperiphery 15 of the conduit 6 a-nd and tting 32 can be removed from the brace 36 to be the periphery 16 of the passage 17. readied for the next'operation.

After the portions 4 and 5 are positionedover the con- Of course, during this time, fluid is passing through the duit'6 so as to enclose crack A10 therein, the bolts 7 and conduit 6 and escape of uidfrom the conduit 6 and nuts v8 may be placed in positionon the body and tight- 20 through the body 3 is prevented by means of the valve .enedi The seals 14 and 15 may bein the form of split 34 and the seals 14 and 15. To elfect further repairs annular rings andare positioned over the pipe 6 and in on the conduit 6, it is necessary to temporarily shut off cachend 11 and 12 ofthe body 3. The clamps 19 and the ow at the severed portion of the conduit 6 and this 20 are then positioned over the pipe 6 and bolts 21 and may be accomplished by the pack-off tool illustrated in nuts 23 positionedtherein and tightened. The clamps 19 25 Figs. 5 and 6 in its initial and in its final position re- ..an d 20 each have an opening 19" and 20' therethrough Speetively, in the device.

larger than pipe or conduit 6. In order to grip `In Fig. 5 the fitting 31 is illustrated as being provided .the conduit 6 'and/ho`ld it in line as the present invention With a packing gland 42 and a packing gland 43 which 1' s nsed, set screws 2 2 arie threadedly engaged in each fit about the housing 44, which housing extends longitu-k V clamp 19 and 20 as shown in Figs, 1 6 and 7 V The set 30 dinally therethrough. The housing 44 is threadedly conscrews may be 'rotatedto engage against pipe 6 as shown nected as illustrated at 45 to the threaded rod 46 which in Iigs. 5 and 7 to holdit duringthe cutting operations has at its lower end, an annular peeking member 47 :re-

swell as the other operations performed during use of tained in position by the enlargement 48 on the lower end thefpreserit invention. of the threaded rod 46 and which abuts the lower ed plus: the Crack .1.0 iS PQSO'Iled Within the body 3 and 35 49 of the housing 44. In its initial position the packing between the seals 14 and 15 so that such crack is effecmember Whieh may be designated generally by .the 1111- tively sealed oi within the body as shown in Fig, 2` meral 50 is positioned above the closed valve 34, as shown` A lateral opening 30 extends from the body and a in Fig. 5, where the gate 40 of the valve 34 is illustrated Conduit 31 iS Shown in 3 as connected with such as being in its seated position. When it is desired to seal opening for apurpose as will be more suitably described 40 off, or close off flow in the fluid conduit 6 at the point of hereinafter. The conduit 31 includes suitable fittings as the CH formed by means 0f the Cutting i001, Previously illustrated at 32 and 33, the latter comprising packing described with regard to Fig. 3, the, valve 34 may be f glandstc further aid in sealing on the crack 10 within opened and the device 50 lowered through the opening the body 3 as willbe described in more detail hereinafter. 30 to seat in the conduit 6 between the portions'thereof "valve means as shown at 34 is also mounted in the 45 which have now been cut in two. When the device 50 conduit 31 and controls communication between the conhas been seated in the conduit 6, the rod 46 may be ro- ,d 1t ,31 and the opening 30 in the body 3. It will be tated, whereupon -such rotation is transmitted through nofed that the fitting 31 is axially and longitudinally the housing 44 to the threaded connection between the aligned relative to the opening 30 so that when the valve rod 46 and housing 44 as illustrated at 45. Since the 341s open, access may b e had through the conduit 31 50 housing 44 is fixed as Vshown in Fig. 6, rotation of the rod gto. the damaged portion o f the conduit 6 between the seals 46 'moves the rod relative to the housing 44 and expands 14 and 15 at each end of the body 3. the packing element 47 so as to seal between the severed A Whejn the body 3 is positioned on the conduit n6, the fitportions of the fluid conducting line 6. This shuts off ting 31 including the valve 34 and the packing glands Vflow through the fluid line 6 and the next step in practicing l 33, are simultaneously positioned on the opening 3l), and 55 the present method and invention can proceed.

. thei yalve 34 moved to closed position so that the crack After the seal 50 is in place between the severed porlllustrated at 10 in the conduit 6 is completely sealed off tions of the conduit 6 as shown in Figs. 6 and 6A, the within the body 3 between theends 11 and 12 thereof. line 6 may be severed downstream of the body 3, and

The next operation in the present invention is to cut since the pressure in line '6 is sealed off by the plug 47, or sever the iiuld conducting conduit 6 in two and this is 60 Vn0 leakage will occur. A portion of the line 6 may be accomplished by removing the ltting 32 and the lower cut out, or bent out of the way downstream of the body vPaekll'ltg gland 33 S0 that they may be positioned on the 3 to gain access to the portion 50' of the line 6 which is brace 36. Thereafter, the bit or cutting tool 37 is posidownstream of the body 3.

tioned on the lower end of the brace and the packing Reference is now made to Fig. 7, wherein it twill be gland 33 is threadedly positioned as shown in Fig, 3 of 65 noted that access has been gained to the uid conducting thedrawings so that the seal 38 therein engages the peline 6 downstream of the body 3, and a suitable length or riphery 39 of the brace 36 to inhibit loss of pressure portion of such conduit downstream of the body 3 has through the crack 10 from the fiuid conduit 6 when the Ybeen severed Vand then bent out of the way, as desired.

valve 34 is opened. After the tting 31, including the In Fig. 7, the reference numeral 50represents the downpacking glands 33 andthe fitting 32 have been re- 70 stream portion ofthe tiuid conducting line 6 connected 'positionedon the conduit 31 as shown in Fig. 3 of the i to body 3 and -the reference numeral 51 represents the drawings,Y the valve 34 may be opened and the cutting upstream portion of the lluid'conducting line 6 connected tool 37 lowered into engagement with the conduit 6 so as to the body 3 adjacent the cut 52 which has been made to sever the conduit 6 at the point of the crack or break in the conduit `6 in the body 3 of the device by means of g 1l). This is accomplished merely b y rotating the brace 36 75 the cutting tool 'previously described with regard to Fig.

3. The packing gland 54` may be threadedly securedon the end 51 of the downstream portion 50', which packing gland is adapted to receive therethrough the housing 55 which terminates at one end in the packing gland 56. lA rod 57 extends through the packing gland 56 and housing 55 and is provided at its inner end with a packing element 58 similar to the packing element 47, previously described with regard to Fig. 6 of the drawings. It will be noted that the packing tool, designated generally by the numeral 60 in Fig. 7 is similar in construction to the packing tool designated generally by the numeral 50 in lFig. 5 of the drawings.

It will be noted in Fig. 7 that the portion 50 of the fluid conduit 6 has been threaded at its end as illustrated 4at 52, after the conduit 6 downstream of the body 3 has been cut in two, and it will be appreciated that the portion of the conduit 6 immediately to the right of the portion 50' shown in Fig. 7 will have been cut and then removed,` or cut and bent out of the way so that the thread 52 can be formed on the end of the downstream por.

tion 50.

' Also, the operation of the packing tool 60 is similar to .the operation of the packing tool 50, in that when the rod 57 is rotated by means of the member 59, the packing element S8 expands and forms a seal within the conduit 6. Initially, the member 58 will be moved to a position within the portion 50 of the conduit 6 and the rod rin the portion 50' of the conduit 6'and moved longitudinally thereof to a position upstream relative to the cut portion 52 of the conduit 6 and expanded in the portion 51 of line 6 as illustrated in Figs. 7, 8 and 9 of the drawings.

Fig. 9 represents one of the last steps of the present invention, and it should be appreciated that in this stage, any one of several alternate procedures may-be followed. As illustrated in Fig. 9, the portion 51 of the conduit 6 has been threaded as illustrated at 62 in Fig. 8 by any suitable threading apparatus, and a valve as illustrated at 63 has been engaged on the threads 62.

Of course, since the packing tool illustrated at 60 has formed a seal upstream relative to the cut 52 in the conduit 6, the body 3, as well as the clamps 19 and 20 will have been removed from about the conduit 6 prior to forming threads 62. Also, since the packe-r tool 60 forms a seal upstream relative to the cut portion 52, the packing glands 54 and S6, as well as the portion 50' of the conl duit 6 may also be removed by taking oi handle 59, whereupon gland S6 can be unthreaded from the end of housing 55 and then slipped oi over rod 57. Similarly, gland 54 can then be unthreaded from 50 and slipped off over housing 55 and rod 57; thereafter, portion 50 may be removed by slipping it oft over housing 55,. This leaves in position the housing 55 with the rod 57 extendving therethrough and the expanding packer element 58 seated upstream as previously mentioned, and as shown in Fig. 9 of the drawings. The valve 63 may thereafter be positioned on the threads 62 by slipping it along over rod 57 after handle 59 has been removed so that the valve 63 can be positioned on threads 62. l

After the valve 63 has been positioned on the portion 51 of the conduit 6, a fitting or nipple 64 may be threadedly secured into the other end of the valve 63, whereupon the packing tool can be retracted longitudinally along the conduit 6 so as to be thereafter expanded and seat within the iitting 64. When this has occurred, the valve 63 can be closed to shut otf communication from the portion 51 to the nipple 64 so that thereafter, additional nipples or fittings can be connected between the nipple 64 and the remainder of the old ow line which has been previously bent out of the way, as described so as to place the flow line 6 back into service. Y

For example, attention is directed to Fig. l0, wherein the valve 63 is shown as being connected into the conduit 6 by means of being secured into the portion`51 at Yone side thereof and into the tting 64 which has now become a part of the permanent conduit. The other end of the conduit can be coupled into the remainder of the tlow line 6 which is now ready to be placed back into service merely by opening the valve 63.

It can be appreciated that all of the foregoing operations have been conducted without cutting ol the ow through the conduit at a remote source relative to the crack or break in the fluid conduit 6.

Furthermore, the body 3, as well as the clamps 19 and 20 may be rapidly secured about the conduit 6 and positioned over the crack 10 so as to first of all elfect a cutting operation in the conduit 6 described with regard to Fig. 3. Thereafter, the sealing tool 50 may be moved through the conduit 31 to close 0E the cut pipe 6, while the portion of the conduit 6 downstream of the cut is being removed so that the packer'tool 60 can, be moved longitudinally into the portion 50 of the cut pipe 6. Thereafter, the packing tool 50 may be retracted above the valve 34, the valve 34 closed, and the packing tool 60 moved longitudinally through the body 3 so as to seat upstream in the conduit 6.

After this has taken place, the body 3 and the clamps 19 and 20 may be removed from the conduit 6 so that fittings, as desired, may be connected to the portion 51 of the conduit 6 to connect it with the remainder of the line so that it can be immediately placed into operation.

It should be appreciated from the foregoing description that certain minor modifications and changes can be made in the apparatus of the present invention, without departing from the scope of the procedure or the function of the apparatus.

Also, it can be appreciated that if the pressure in the conduit 6 becomes excessive, then it may be necessary to use more than one seal S8 and it is contemplated that such change can be effected without departing from the scope of the present invention. The invention has particular utility, in that repair of a leak or crack in a fluid line can be effected without the trouble of shutting olf ilow throughout the line for a lengthy period of time.v

However, theow through the line is only cut off at the break for a minimum amount of time, while repairs are made. on the line.

A test cock is shown in Figs. 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 on body 3, and as desired this can be opened to determine if the packer tools 50 and 60 are maintaining proper seals within the apparatus.

Broadly the invention relates to a method and apparatus for repairing a break in a pressure uid line.

What is claimed is:

l. A method of repairing a uid line under pressure including the steps of sealing of about the fluid line in the portion to be repaired, cutting the fluid line in the sealed off portion, sealing oif between the cut portions of the uid line,'sealing ofr the uid line downstream of the seal between the cut portions, removing the seal between the cut portions while maintaining the seal about the cut portions and the seal downstream of the cut portion, thereafter moving the downstream seal to a position upstream of the cut portion whereby repair operations may proceed while the uid pressure is sealed of by the upstream seal.

2. A device for repairing a uid line under pressure including a body, means for securing said body on the fluid line to be repaired, said body including two half-portions fitting about the iluid line, said securing means including means extending through said body half portions to hold them together about the fluid line, clamps positioned at each end of said body and fitting around the uid line to be repaired, means extending through said clamps to hold tleni the -tiid line, a connection extending between said body which are adapted to moyersaid clamps longitudinally townd ach other and toward the adjacent end of Vsaid body, seal rneans tting in the ends of said body -an'd abutting said clamps, said seal means adapted to be urged to sealing positionbetween Said body and the fluid li'ne to seal olf the uid line Within said body when said clanps are moved toward each other by said connectors, a lateral opening in said body between said seals, a couduit secured in said opening and extending from said body, and 'valve means -in -sid conduit for closing olf said conduit and `for opening lsaid conduit for access to said body.

3. A device for repairing a fluid line under pressure including a body, means for securing saidbody on the fluid line to be repaired, Vsaid body including two half portions fitting' about the fluid lline, said securing means including inea'ns extending through said body half portions to hold `them together about the fluid line, `clamps positioned at each 'end of said body and fitting around the uid line to be repaired, means extending through said clamps to hold their;l onY the iluid line', a connection extendingY between ea'ch of lsaid clamps on leach side of and longitudinlly ef 'saidfbedv which are adeptedwt nndvesaid elainp's longitudinally toward each. lother and tewjaid the cadjl't Vbild f 4Said lc'y'f, Se'al n's tti'g 'i the Alg''s of sid bodyild abutting said'claips, said Se'a-l tiies adapted te be tinged to sealing posit-ion between said la'edy `and the duid lline .to seal fel the nui-d' line within 'sai-d .body when Sad clamps are moved toward Ch t'he'r 'by said connectors, a lateral opening in said body between said seals, valve -ineans tot closing' ont said openingjeondn'i't ineens longitudinally and axially aligned with said opening and 'secured te `said valve means', paeldng means said conduit means whereby an ins'trilfflent 'ay Be Yi`n`- serted through said conduit and yalve ineans Afor access to the Huid line under pressure Ythrough said'lateral open-V ing while said packing lmeans seals o around said instrument to inhibit leakage from the ii-uid line.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATS PATENTS 

